Photo from past amateur wine-making competition hosted by the French Broad Vignerons. Photo by Cami Calnan

The Asheville Wine & Food Festival is full of fun and feasting for attendees, but for many local chefs and wineries, the event is all about the competition. And this year, the rules and prizes are a little different for the wine competition, thanks to local vineyard-industry organization, the French Broad Vignerons.

Unlike last year, the wine competition has been expanded to include noncommercial and commercial makers of wine, and each will compete in its own category. There is also a new award to be had — the Best of The Appalachians.

The French Broad Vignerons will provide a team of trained judges, several of which are also American Wine Society trained. All evaluations are blind, and judges only know the type of wine and vintage, according to a press release. At the commercial level, medals are given out at the gold, silver and bronze levels, and the noncommercial wines receive blue, red and yellow ribbons plus a brief critique. Commercial wines that are judged to be either gold or silver are also designated as a Best of The Appalachians wine, as long as the wines were made in either North Carolina or the Appalachians and that the fruit was sourced from there as well.

The Asheville Wine and Food Festival takes place Thursday through Saturday, August 21-23. Visit ashevillewineandfood.com for more information.